FIFA Club World Cup preview: Stepping into football's new era

NEW YORK, June 12 (Xinhua) -- The FIFA Club World Cup is to kick off on Saturday in the United States, ushering in a bold new chapter for a tournament that has long struggled to earn top-tier status.

Gone is the seven-team format and the filler slot on the holiday calendar. In its place is a bonafide 32-team competition, sprawling across four weeks, 12 venues and 11 cities, all culminating in a final at MetLife Stadium on July 13.

With 1 billion U.S. dollars in prize money on offer, global superpowers and emerging challengers have more incentive than ever to treat this as a genuine quest for international glory.

A WORLD CUP FOR CLUBS

The 2025 Club World Cup will be the first edition of a planned quadrennial tournament. The teams are split into eight groups of four, with the top two advancing to a round of 16. From there, every match is sudden death until one club lifts the trophy in New Jersey next month.

The participants include champions and top-ranked teams from all six FIFA confederations. From European standard-bearers such as Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich, to South American stalwarts Palmeiras, River Plate and Flamengo, the competition promises elite-level football - with potential surprises lurking in every group.

THE CONTENDERS

European dominance is a familiar storyline in Club World Cup history, with UEFA clubs winning every edition since 2013. Reigning champion Manchester City will be able to call upon 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri following the midfielder's recovery from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

Manager Pep Guardiola has also refreshed his squad with several key signings, including midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, midfielder Rayan Cherki and left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri. The English club's Group G clash with Juventus on June 26 could be one of the group stage's defining fixtures.

Real Madrid enters the fray with fresh ambition under new manager Xabi Alonso. The Spanish giants made early moves in the June transfer window, adding Trent Alexander-Arnold and 20-year-old central defender Dean Huijsen to its rank. Though Alonso will have to wait until after the tournament to welcome Franco Mastantuono - the Argentina international teenager who will be lining up for River Plate - the club's intent is clear: it wants to win this trophy.

Another major contender is Paris Saint-Germain, which won its first UEFA Champions League crown on May 31. Led by Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Vitinha, the Parisians should feel liberated from the weight of past European failures and may approach the tournament with renewed purpose, viewing it as a chance to cement its global standing.

Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan also headline a formidable UEFA contingent and are all capable of going deep into the knockout rounds.

But leading teams from other regions should not be discounted. Defending Brazilian and Copa Libertadores champion Botafogo has been running into ominous form after a slow start to the current South American season while Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal has a squad with enviable quality, including names such as Joao Cancelo, Ruben Neves and Aleksandar Mitrovic.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

While proven performers such as Bayern's Harry Kane and City's Rodri are expected to feature prominently, the tournament is also a stage for burgeoning talent. Palmeiras' Estevao, on his way to Chelsea after the event, is being touted as Brazil's most exciting young talent since Neymar. Meanwhile, 21-year-old City arrival Cherki is one of the most intriguing new faces to watch, a classic No. 10 with maturity beyond his years.

Inter Miami's Lionel Messi may no longer be at his peak, but his presence will draw enormous attention - especially with the tournament hosted on U.S. soil. Whether Miami can escape Group A, which includes Palmeiras, Porto, and Al Ahly, remains to be seen. But with Messi and Luis Suarez leading the line, the spectacle is guaranteed.

Elsewhere, PSG's attack is expected to unsettle defenses, while Real Madrid - entering a new era under Alonso and bolstered by high-profile signings - will be fascinating to watch as the former Bayer Leverkusen boss begins to shape the team's identity and integrate its new stars. Borussia Dortmund, which is likely to feature Jobe Bellingham - the brother of Real Madrid's Jude - finished Germany's domestic season on a high and could be a dark horse in Group F.

SURPRISES IN STORE?

While the spotlight remains on European clubs, the expanded format leaves more room for surprises. Al Hilal appears the most impressive of the Asian teams and the appointment of Simone Inzaghi as manager will give the team added tactical discipline and European tournament pedigree.

South America's top clubs will also be hungry to prove their worth. Flamengo, Palmeiras and Fluminense have all come close in recent years, only to fall short at the final hurdle. In the CONCACAF sphere, Pachuca and Los Angeles FC bring quality and a competitive edge. Monterrey, with a proven record in international competition, is always a dangerous prospect.

From Asia and Africa, teams such as Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns and Esperance may lack high-profile names but not a track record of success. And then there's Auckland City - semi-professional but no stranger to punching above its weight - hoping to repeat its fairytale 2014 run when it finished third.

HIGH STAKES

What was once a postscript to the calendar is now front and center. The prize money, the prestige and the pressure are all very real.

FIFA's decision to stage this event just weeks before the start of the 2025-26 season has sparked controversy, with concerns over player welfare raised by unions and domestic leagues. But for now, with kick-off imminent, the focus shifts to the pitch.

The first match - Inter Miami versus Al Ahly at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium - will set the tone. The final, a month later, will crown a new (or familiar) champion in a transformed tournament aiming to rival the World Cup in stature. ■